LUTC Minutes 2014-05-18

Posted on by Mike Faden

LUTC meeting 5/18/2014

Present: Mike Warwick, Phil Conti, Paul van Orden, Allan Rudwick, Alise Munson, Mike Faden

Meeting to order at 6.38pm

  1. Luther Apts project: Steve Fosler, architect for developer WDC
    • 12 units at 306 NE Monroe: 6 1BR 1st floor, 6 2BR 2-story on 2nd and 3rd floor
    • 11 foot wide yard/open area on east and west side
    • All rental housing; developer retains ownership of their buildings and also manages them
    • No parking
    • Requests/questions from committee
      • Make front of building friendlier to street on Monroe
      • Request, no bars on window on 1st floor apts on Monroe
      • Request: no chain link fence
      • Steve Fosler says developer markets to people who are not car owners – of currently owned 250+ units, 7% of people have cars. Request from LUTC to get number for apartments in this area; 7% figure may be skewed because ~100 of the developer’s units are in Pearl Dist.
    • Short term bike parking is provided in form of staple racks. Question: where will residents put bikes? Architect says the idea is they will bring bikes into apartment
    • Action: Architect will respond to each question in a letter to LUTC
  2. Other items:
    • Mixed use zone walkaround is on 29th
    • Old gas station lot at 7th and Russell; developer is planning 75 ft high tower with 4:1 FAR, based on RH zoning.
    • Ex Novo Good neighbor agreement; Mike W says we have the good neighbor agreement in place
    • Demolition permit for 3019 NE MLK: Mike W will go and look at the building to see if salvageable
  3. Rodney Bikeway update — Rich Newlands presentation
    • Template for the project was City’s standard neighborhood greenway
    • 2 issues specific to this project
      • Crossings at Fremont, Killingsworth, Russell are busy intersections that need more than a crosswalk
        • At Killingsworth and Russell the issue is addressed by curb extensions on all 4 corners
        • Fremont is more difficult
          • Traffic signal not warranted (traffic volumes do not warrant signal)
          • Removing parking is an issue
          • Latest idea is designed to save parking on south side of Fremont
          • Idea is flashing beacon and curb extensions on east side of intersection (where Rodney meets S side of Fremont) and 2-way bike track on north side of road
      • Diversion
        • Some cyclists/bike advocates believe one should always design bike project with diversion
        • Larger group believe diversion will be needed in this case due to changes on Williams
        • City definitely sees diversions on the table – preference would be to wait and see how Williams works
        • Potential issues: cut through on Cook from Freeway; there will be a stop light at Cook so cars may be more likely to cross Williams and go east on Cook
        • Current plan is for regulatory diverter to stop westbound traffic at Williams – not physical barrier
        • City received comments that more is needed – current idea is diagonal diverter at Ivy to prevent cut through to MLK (diverter redirects people to Williams); there were comments at the Eliot NA board meeting that diverter could be at Cook instead
        • City is willing to put in test diagonal diverter (Big cement pipe-shaped structures with space in between that bike can get through)
    • Further general discussion re bikeway
      • Speed bumps are part of the plan on Rodney
      • Current plan is to flip all stop signs on Rodney
      • Phil Conti: Request to test 4 way stop signs at Monroe; Rich will bring that request back to City
      • Rich: Have heard desire to have Rodney built in advance of Williams so that an improved detour route exists during Williams project; however, that would be a problem because it would set back Williams construction until next year. Existing bike Lane on Williams will remain open during most of Williams project
      • Current goal is to start Williams construction in August
      • Rich asks for input from LUTC re current bikeway proposal including diverter
      • LUTC will put on agenda for next meeting
        • Rich to send us latest design
        • LUTC to discuss. Diverter: one proposal is that as part of development on Williams, put in test diverter. Or can wait until after Williams project and then put in diverter.
        • Assumption is that we will provide letter to City re bikeway
      • Allan says his biggest concern is the increase in number of people coming off Fremont bridge

Meeting ends 8pm